Coronavirus Australia: Bombshell email in Ruby Princess debacle

A chain of emails exchanged between NSW Health and the senior physician aboard the Ruby Princess show the department knew of COVID-19 risk on the ship, before allowing it to dock in Sydney.

Nine News has got its hands on emails exchanged between NSW Health and the senior physician aboard the Ruby Princess before the disastrous decision to allow the cruise ship to dock in Sydney.

Hundreds of its passengers have since tested positive for the coronavirus, and that single ship is linked to a significant percentage of Australia's total confirmed cases.

Seven of the passengers have died.

RELATED: Coronavirus Australia live updates

RELATED: Fresh blow-up over Ruby Princess debacle

Ruby Princess struck down by coronavirus. Picture: The Australian/Simon Bullard

According to Nine, the emails show NSW Health asking eight questions of the physician. In particular, it wanted a list of passengers and crew members with fever or acute respiratory systems.

The ship's response revealed there were two Australians with such symptoms, both of whom needed to be transferred to hospital. Both patients had tested negative for the flu.

Later that day, NSW Health wrote back — it defended its actions to let passengers disembark the ship after exchanging emails with its physician and assessing the ship as “low risk”.

"The NSW Health expert panel has assessed the Ruby Princess as not requiring on-board health assessment in Sydney," it said.

An unwell crew member on the notorious Ruby Princess was taken off the ship on Thursday. Picture: 7News

"We could, however, ask you to send the 15 samples to our lab for COVID testing. You are free to disembark tomorrow."

According to Nine, the department knew about the risk of coronavirus aboard the cruise but let the entire ship disembark, without performing an on-board health assessment.

More than 600 are now infected with the coronavirus, and hundreds of sick crew members are awaiting test results.

In New South Wales alone, 340 people — 337 passengers and three crew — have tested positive to COVID-19.

Today, NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard was quizzed about the cruise ship during a press conference and things got heated.

“Explain to me how your resignation should not be on the Premier’s desk right now,” Channel 7’s Denham Hitchcock said.

“Can I just say that the experts who made the decision were the best in the world. And the appropriate thing at this point is for the investigation to continue,” the Minister said, referring to the investigation NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller is conducting into the Ruby Princess matter.

“Are you talking about the experts on the boat, or here? In your department, or on the boat?” Hitchcock followed up.

“The Health Department. I will take you through it, because it sounds like you don’t actually know how it works,” Mr Hazzard shot back.

“If you wouldn’t mind showing a little courtesy, thank you very much,” he said, as Hitchcock kept speaking.

Mr Hazzard said the decision to keep passengers on board ships or let them disembark was always a “balancing act”.

The crew member being taken to Sydney Hospital for medical attention. Picture: 7News

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced this morning the state's police commissioner would be investigating after questions have been raised over who is to blame for the debacle.

Last week, Border Force Commissioner Michael Outram hit back at claims his officials were responsible for letting 2700 passengers off the ship, Nine reported.

Mr Outram instead laid the blame with NSW Health, saying his officers were only required to check visas and for contraband.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Australia now stands at 5466.

As of Saturday morning there were 2493 in NSW, 1085 in Victoria, 873 in Queensland, 396 in South Australia, 422 in Western Australia, 80 in Tasmania, 91 in the Australian Capital Territory and 26 in the Northern Territory.